The
Grand Canyon itself is just a mere 5 or 6 million years old. The
rocks that make up the walls of the Canyon range from 250 million
years old at the top, to over 2 billion years old at the bottom!
Each layer of rock represents a distinct geologic period of the Earth's
past. Different minerals located in the rocks cause the different
colors. No where else on the planet is such a large section of geologic
time displayed so well.
|
| How
was it made? |
| The
most powerful force to have an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion,
primarily by water (and ice), and second by wind. The most favorable
theory is that the Colorado River cut through the Colorado Plateau
while the land rose around it. An analogy commonly used by park rangers
compares the Colorado river cutting through the Grand Canyon, to
cutting a cake by holding the knife still and having someone lift
the cake. |
| Human
History |
| 10,000 years ago: |
The Paleoindians at the Grand Canyon
|
| 900: |
The Anasazi peoples at the canyon
|
| 1540: |
The first Europeans visit the canyon
|
1826:
|
The first American visits the canyon
|
| 1869: |
Major John Wesley Powell leads the first successful
expedition down the Colorado River
|
| 1883: |
Arrival of the first Grand Canyon settler
|
| 1901: |
Train service to the canyon
|
| 1902: |
The first horse drawn auto arrives at the canyon
|
| 1905: |
The El Tovar Hotel opens its doors for business
|
| 1908: |
President Theodore Roosevelt creates the Grand
Canyon National Monument
|
| 1919: |
The National Park Services takes control of the
park
|
| 1928: |
The Kaibab Suspension Bridge is built across the
Colorado River
|
| 1963: |
Gates of the Glen Canyon Dam close and the Colorado
River slows down
|
| 1976: |
Annual visitation is more than 3,000,000
|
| 1992: |
Annual visitation almost 4,000,000
|
| 1999: |
Annual visitation 5 million-WOW!
|
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